A recently publicized news story involving the interplay of immigration laws and divorce has the legal community anxiously awaiting a verdict. At issue in the case, out of southern Texas, is whether a former husband can be legally responsible for paying maintenance (alimony) to his former wife based not on divorce law but on a rarely-enforced immigration provision.

From both a financial and an emotional standpoint, divorces are inherently complex. When a divorce is paired with a substantial financial portfolio, however, the plot thickens. Headlines regarding high net worth divorces—and the financial consequences for the spouses—are frequent. For example, a recent article on CNN Money reported that the CEO of Best Buy sold stock to help pay for his divorce settlement; CNBC also lists some of the most costly breakups. Unfortunately, however, such costly divorces are not limited to celebrities and multi-millionaires. Whether you are a famous celebrity…